Should I ever poison a wild animal?

We live in a society where when people have problems with animals they want to try to find the most permanent solution to the problem right away. If you have a wild animal coming onto your property, you are probably looking for quick solutions that will terminate the animal’s life so you never have to worry about it again.

One of the most common ones that people choose is to use some kind of poison to terminate the animal’s life. Whether you have rats and mice that are crawling along the walls of your home, a raccoon that is digging in your garbage can, or a fox that is making a daily trip across your yard looking to get into your pet’s dish, poison has quickly become the number one solution to handling problems like this, the question is should it be?

Is the use of a poison on a wild animal the best option for you to choose? While it may be the most popular one to choose, the answer to this question is no.

Let’s start with this for a moment. Let’s say that you have a bat or a raccoon that is coming onto your property and you want to terminate that animal’s life. You buy some poison, set it out, and in a matter of a few days the animal has eaten it and died. The next thing you know, there’s a knock on the door and the police are fining you. You should be aware that in some states the killing or trapping of animals is illegal. Some animals are protected as endangered or threatened species, so poisoning them could get you in some hot water. It is important to know if you’re allowed to do this before taking any action at all.

The other problem that you face is that the wild animal you are trying to get rid of may not be the only critter that is eating the poison. If you have a cat or dog that is perusing through your yard or behind your refrigerator, they may eat the poison as well. The same kinds of things that would lure a rat, raccoon, squirrel, or other animal into eating this poison, is the same kind of thing that may attract your cat or dog.

What has been found is that those who use poison to kill off wild animals are just as likely to see their own pet murdered by the poison as the animal they are attempting to rid themselves from. Your animals are curious, plus they are often hungry, which means they are going to seek any kind of food they can find. This poses a serious health risk for them as well.

While poison may seem like a sensible choice to make, it is not the best choice at all. You should look for other options so that you don’t put you, your family, or your pets at risk.
Read more: Florida Wildlife Control